October 6, 2019: Day 22 – I Samuel 22

When things go bad, they really go bad.  Saul is completely isolated now.  Even though he is surrounded,  the Scripture says, with all of his servants and with his soldiers, still he was completely alone.  David has settled in the cave of Adullam which is found in the wilderness of Judah.  This wilderness was long considered a hideout for those cast out by society. In fact, notice whom David gathers around him: those who were in distress, in debt, discontented and he ruled over them.  They turned into his army.

When Saul hears that David has settled down he is furious and wants to know how this has happened.  The story is told how David sought refuge from the priests in Nob and so the high priest and all of his family and all of the priests were summoned to see Saul.  There, Saul is furious and orders his soldiers to kill the priests.  All of his soldiers refuse.  Who in their right mind is going to kill a servant of God.

So, Saul has to look outside of his nation to allies in order to kill the priests.  He talks to Doeg the Edomite who would be more  than happy to kill priests who worshiped the Lord especially because they worshiped other gods and this would be seen as a huge bonus for them.  Their own gods would be so pleased that they killed priests of a competing god.  It is carried out and none of the priests or their families are spared.  Guess who reaches out to those who survived this attack?  David, he reaches out and tells them to join his gang of misfits.  I’m pretty sure if I were around when David  were around I would have asked him if I could join his gang of misfits.

It reminds me a bit of Robin Hood.  I remember growing up with this song.